CP eateries may serve in open areas on weekends

NDMC has proposed that the open air space in front of the eateries can be used as service area between 9pm and 1am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Taking a cue from the open air dining policy approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is planning to allow restaurants in Connaught Place’s inner circle to utilise the open space next to the establishments as an open air dining space on weekend nights.

NDMC plans to charge a fee for allotting such spaces for open dining but the quantum of charges has not yet been fixed, an official said. (Arvind Yadav/HT photo)

The draft policy prepared by the NDMC health licensing department states that the open air space in front of the eateries can be used as service area between 9pm and 1am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with caveats that no liquor is served in these spaces, that the lighting and music shall be ambient, no cooking is permitted, and a no-objection certificate (NOC) is granted by the Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service.

HT has seen a copy of the draft policy.

“The proposed policy for use of open space will be initially applicable in the Inner Circle of Connaught Place and may be extended to other areas and markets in due course,” the draft states, noting that several establishments have made representations to the department regarding the utilisation of open air spaces, arguing that there is a growing demand from customers to have such eating spaces, in line with those in many other countries.

NDMC plans to charge a fee for allotting such spaces for open dining but the quantum of charges has not yet been fixed, an official said.

The draft policy is also restricted only to ground floor establishments. In February 2017, the NDMC had closed down 21 rooftop restro-bars in Connaught Place after a portion of a building crumbled following its being leased out to a restaurateur for a new pub.

A policy for open air dining by the public health department of the erstwhile South MCD was originally launched in September 2020, which was later adopted by the North MCD. The unified MCD finalised a policy for open air dining on November 4 this year, under which restaurants -- which have to mandatorily get an NOC from the fire department to operate -- do not need a separate NOC for open air dining. Other provisions include licensing fees at ₹200 per sq ft per annum ( ₹500 per sq ft per annum for high-end four-star restaurants and above), no cooking allowed in open spaces, and liquor permitted only if the space is not be visible to passersby.

However, the draft policy has been met with mixed reaction from stakeholders. Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), said the inner circle corridor is for walking and/or parking, and the policy is not practical, while Sandeep Anand Goyle, managing committee member of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), called for a further expansion of the policy to include balconies and terraces.

NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay said that the idea of allowing open air dining is good, and the council will consider all safety precautions before accepting the proposed policy.

“There is no harm in the concept… However, such spaces should be well-regulated, and enough safety provisions will be incorporated to prevent any hooliganism,” he said. “Rooftop open spaces are a different category altogether. They pose dangers with respect to structural integrity and the size of staircases also matters in case of fires or other calamities.”

The draft policy also states that no fast-food stalls, ice cream parlours or tobacco shops will be permitted under this policy. “A licence will be granted for 6 months to one year initially, which may be renewed thereafter for 5 years,” the policy says, while underlining that the sitting area will be allowed on a temporary basis for the prescribed period, and the designated space will be cleared by the restaurant owner after the specified time for unhindered movement and commercial activities in the market area for the next day.

The open space should also not restrict the smooth movement of passersby, the area should not have direct access/opening to the main road, and the service area cannot be covered on top with permanent arrangement or enclosed on sides, the draft policy mandates.

Goyle of the NRAI said his association has been pursuing the matter with civic bodies in Delhi for the past 15 years.

“A representation was also filed with the lieutenant governor by the NRAI to extend the open air dining concept to the New Delhi area. It is a welcome move from the council but the civic body should expand it further to include the terraces and balconies of CP as well as other parts of New Delhi. Across the world, terraces and balconies are used as dining space. The balconies overlooking central park will provide ideal ambient space,” he said.

However, Bhargava of the NDTA stated that the draft policy is not practical at all. “Why would a shopkeeper allow the space outside their outlet in the inner circle corridor to be used for this? Moreover, shops are open till 10pm, and most of the restaurants are on first floor. It will affect the walking space and the weather conditions are also not conducive. Is it possible to sit outside in winter at this time of the year?” he asked.

Bhargava noted that open air dining had earlier been experimented in CP around 20 years ago. “The experiment was undertaken only on Sundays, as the main market used to be closed on Sundays. Still, we faced a lot of issues related to littering and chaos,” he said, adding that if NDMC wants to try open air dining, it should experiment in spaces like Nehru Park.